Influencer Logan Paul's apparent $1 million Super Bowl bet on Polymarket was exposed as a promotional stunt by on-chain investigator ZachXBT after Paul's account showed zero balance.
The staged video, posted by Polymarket during Sunday's game, showed Paul tapping through a bet on the New England Patriots that was never actually placed.
ZachXBT verified Paul's account contained no funds and checked the top holders in that market, confirming none matched Paul's supposed wager.
The investigator called it "yet another Logan Paul scam," referencing Paul's failed CryptoZoo project that cost investors tens of thousands and spawned ongoing lawsuits.
Undisclosed Relationship
ZachXBT suggested Paul maintains an undisclosed relationship with Polymarket, citing earlier livestream footage showing the influencer promoting the platform in what he described as "inorganic" fashion.
Paul joined Anti Fund as General Partner in December 2025, the venture firm that holds Polymarket as a Series B investment from 2025.
Polymarket captioned the Super Bowl video "Logan Paul checking Polymarket at the Big Game," though neither party explicitly acknowledged it as advertising.
The Patriots lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks, meaning Paul's fake bet would have lost had he actually placed it.
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Advertising Ethics Under Fire
The incident comes as prediction markets face mounting criticism over advertising practices. Crypto podcast host DeFi_Dad called Kalshi's advertisements "rat poison squared," condemning campaigns that frame prediction market gambling as viable income generation for "normal Joes."
"Every ad is uniquely shameless and cringe. Great way to wreck the middle class and young people who SHOULD be taking risks by investing or learning about investing vs gambling," DeFi_Dad stated, warning the dishonest marketing will "blow back hard on our industry."
BetHog CEO Nigel Eccles noted Kalshi ads targeting young adults unable to afford rent, suggesting they gamble to make money instead. He claimed operators view such advertising as "highly unethical" for promoting underage and problem gambling.
Polymarket filed a federal lawsuit against Massachusetts Monday seeking to prevent the state from shutting down its sports prediction markets, arguing only federal law and the CFTC can regulate its offerings.
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